Suspicion Surrounds Store Fire

Police Still Investigating Circumstances Of Arson, Graffiti

MARGATE - — The arson fire cost Arnold Laffie his flooring store, which was also spray-painted with a half dozen swastikas.

How the graffiti got there remains a mystery for police and fire investigators.

Laffie, 70, of Coral Springs, who describes himself as a practicing Jew and Catholic, considers the act a hate crime.

But police aren't convinced. They agree it was arson. But they're not so sure it was a hate crime: There were no gang symbols, often present in hate crimes, left inside the store. And there were shattered beer bottles, but police say the drinks were not consumed in the store, making them wonder if the bottles were planted to make it look as if kids were having a party, police said.

Police say the swastikas also may have been placed there to distract.

"Don't hype this as a hate crime because I just don't think that it is," Detective Nick Leischen said. "We do believe it was an intentionally set fire ... with no apparent motive."

On May 12, the day after Life Style Flooring's grand opening at 5253 Coconut Creek Parkway, someone broke through the front glass door, spray-painted the swastikas, the word "Jew" and a cross on the wall, and spray-painted more than 100 pieces of tile. A fax machine and $22 were taken.

Fire was then set in the 2,000-square-foot store in the Mega Market USA shopping plaza.

Laffie said the sight of his burned storefront brings him to tears.

"This kills me," he said. "No person has the right to take my living away from my family. I never did a bad thing in my life to anybody."

Fire Department Capt. Garry Westbrook said damage is estimated at between $10,000 and $20,000.

The Laffies operated their business at Mega Market USA since last August. Mega Market USA was closed down last month after FPL shut off its power, Westbrook said. Then the couple moved into another storefront, also owned by Mega Market USA, next door to their previous one in the same shopping center.

Laffie said he was renting the space for $400 a month on a month-to-month basis.

On the night of May 12, Arnold Laffie said, he closed his store early, after the second day of not doing any business. He went to Mass with his family in Coral Springs, and then to dinner for Mother's Day. Later that night, as his family watched a movie about tornadoes on television, police called him to say his store was on fire.

He arrived to find everything ruined - tables, chairs and the television set melted, pens shriveled up on his desk.

"We can't think of anyone who would want to do this," said Laffie's wife, Virginia. "It's not fair that someone comes in and takes it away."